The Cadran and Royal-Oak on the menu. Vazirabad was held up in fifth and benefitted from a very selective race with Nearly Caught (New Approach) who led the race until the first turn, then replaced by Holdthasigreen. Both went in front and the Hugh Morrison trained horse let go at the start of the home straight. Holdthasigreen kept his rhythm and Vazirabad came up in a canter in the middle of the track. His jockey tempered a maximum before launching him because he has a tendency to stop in point his ears once in front. He was still above the field and won easily. His comeback is excellent and promising for the following steps of his program in the Autumn. Moreover, the fact that he did not run the Gold Cup might be just as well. His trainer, Alain de Royer Dupré, said: “Vazirabad does a really good return after being stopped at the start of the year. He is a very particular horse to ride. This race should do him good and he should progress well after this return in order to look at the Prix du Cadran and Royal-Oak (Grs1).”

Tomorrow Sunday ,October ,1st, Zarak runs in the major event of the Qatar Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe. His Highness The Aga Khan is no stranger to Arc success. He is represented by Zarak, a son of his brilliant Arc winner Zarkava

From his debut, at 2 years old, Zarak was highly anticipated. Why? Because he is a son of the great Zarkava, unbeaten in seven starts, including the Qatar Prix de l‟Arc de Triomphe and four other Group 1s. He did not disappoint, winning a smart maiden, at the end of October at Deauville. We then had to wait until April of his 3 year old season to see him on the track again, and he won once again, opening the door to an attempt in the Poule d‟Essai des Poulains (Group 1). His first miss, and he finished fifth, well back from the winner, The Gurkha. Stepped up to 2,100 meters, Zarak then finished second in the Prix du Jockey Club (Group 1) won by Almanzor, a true champion. After this good performance, he ran again three times in 2016, without winning, but never disappointing either: he was once again beaten by Almanzor in the Prix Guillaume d‟Ornano - Haras du Logis Saint-Germain (Group 2), he finished fourth in the Qatar Prix du Moulin de Longchamp before ending his year with a third place in the Qatar Prix Dollar (Group 2). It was good, but not good enough for a horse with his pedigree. He needed a Group 1 win to secure his place at stud. This coveted success came in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud this year. This was the most recent run for this horse who began his season early, at Meydan, where he won a Group 3 before disappointing at a higher level. Second next time out in the Prix Ganay (Group 1), behind Cloth of Stars, who he will meet again, he then worried his connections when finishing fifth at Chantilly, in the Prix d‟Ispahan (Group 1). He wasn‟t able to deliver on the fast ground. The softer track will therefore not bother him, but his acceleration, which is his biggest strength, could be dulled should the ground switch to heavy.

His origins ● Zarak was bred by his owner, His Highness the Aga Khan ● The sire of Zarak, Dubawi, was an excellent racehorse. In the colours of Godolphin, the racing operation of the Dubai Royal family run by Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum, he won, at the age of 2, the National Stakes, a Group 1 run over 1,200 meters at the Curragh in Ireland. The following year, he was once again successful at the top level, winning the Irish 2,000 Guineas (Group 1) and the Prix Jacques Le Marois (Group 1) at Deauville. This made him one of the top European 3 year olds of the 2005 season. However the best was yet to come for this son of the exceptional Dubai Millennium, the diamond forged by Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum at the turn of the 21st century. Initially named Yazaar, the dark day champion was re-baptised Dubai Millennium in 1998, when he showed his exceptional ability. The idea was that he would win the millennium edition in 2000 of the Dubai World Cup (Group 1), the most important race on the Emirates calendar. That he did… He then died young, at the age of 5, and so Dubai Millennium has very few descendants. Dubawi is the best of these and has quite simply become the leading stallion in Europe this year! He is the sire of New Bay, Makfi, Al Kazeem, etc. Zarak is very much like his sire physically.

● The dam of Zarak is the great champion Zarkava. She retired to stud at the end of her 3 year old year, with a perfect record. She ran and won seven times, winning five Group 1s, including the Qatar Prix de l‟Arc de Triomphe. Zarkava had amazing talent, but she also had character. In her final two wins, in the Arc and the Vermeille, she missed the break, and so had to make up a lot of ground in the straight. At 2, in her victory in the Total Prix Marcel Boussac (Group 1), she had even jumped over the shadow of the finishing post. At stud, she isn‟t live up to the expectations placed on her straight away. Zarak is her fourth foal, and the first to see a racecourse. The best is perhaps still yet to come, as it is said that her 2 year old filly by Frankel is very promising…

His trainer: Alain de Royer Dupré ● 73 years old, born the 24th September 1944 ● Alain de Royer Dupré began his training career in the Sarthe. ● In 1981, he came to Chantilly and, after the death of François Mathet in 1983, took over as trainer for the Aga Khan. ● Champion trainer in 2008

Zarak has been given the go-ahead to try to emulate his mother in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe after pleasing connections in a crucial work-out.

By Dubawai out of 2008 Arc winner Zarkava, Zarak is trained by Alain de Royer Dupre for the Aga Khan.
He worked a mile-and-a -half (2400m) at Chantilly on Tuesday in preparation for Europe’s premier middle-distance race on Sunday week.
“He had a gallop in Chantilly and it went very well,” Royer-Dupre said.
“He will have another gallop next week and everything is OK.”

Zarak is a 16-1 chance to give the Aga Khan a fifth success in the Arc and Royer-Dupre a third.
The trainer won the 2010 Melbourne Cup with Americain.

2019, June 2: Princess Zahra was at the Prix du Jokey Club in Paris at Chantilly racetracks. Horses owned and bred by His Highness the Aga Khan and Princess Zahra Aga Khan have won 38 races in 2019

From: The Racing Post
Zarkallani was the surprise name to feature among 15 colts declared for Sunday's Qipco Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly having broken his maiden just seven days prior to the Classic.